What is your name, position, and what are your pronouns? My name is Allegra Giulietti-Schmitt, my position title is college & career counselor, and my pronouns are she/her.
What different jobs do you perform around the school? I predominantly serve in the Student Services Department as the college and career counselor and am an AVID site team member. I am also one of the co-sponsors for the Niles North chapter of the National Honor Society and I serve on a professional development committee as well.
What does your job for the NHS entail? I am part of the initial invitation process and the management or the co-facilitation of the organization throughout the entire year in support of the student leaders. [NHS] is a student activity at Niles North and we honor the National Honor Society rules, rubric, and mission objectives of the national organization. Our chapter is housed here at Niles North and we are focused on making sure that students have the academic background to participate. The invitation requires students to give a little bit more detail as to why they want to be part of the National Honor Society, which mainly focuses on service within the Niles North community.
What has been your biggest accomplishment in your career(s)? I have some past professional experiences that I am definitely proud of in the work that I’ve done leading up to [working for] high schools. Prior to working in high schools, I worked in college admissions for a number of years. I then made the transition to high schools after uncovering that I wanted to support all students in the transition from high school to post-secondary paths. Looking back, one thing I’m most proud of is being an undecided student myself—leaving high school and not having any clue as to what I wanted to do; I strive to be the educator I needed when I was younger.
When have you been most proud of a student under your guidance? There’s so many. One of the joys of working with young people and in education is observing self-learning, and self-discovery, and authentic growth, Whether that’s under my guidance or in the four years of high school. I see a lot of growth happening in a short amount of time.
What do you see more of in your students the longer you work? I genuinely believe in students, in all people, feeling empowered by self-knowledge and self-discovery. A lot of students in our current educational system and structure, they do school well and feel supported and good about their educational journey. Then there are a lot of students where that is not their experience. I really enjoy supporting students uncovering their own strengths and their intelligences. Especially, and most importantly, when perhaps their gifts, their strengths, are not always celebrated in a traditional, academic school environment.
When do you have difficulty connecting with students? The nature of my position and the role in our school is very unique, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to serve all of our students with their post-secondary journey. I am able to build really strong rapport with those who seek out or regularly utilize…the College & Career Resource Center. However, it can be difficult connecting with students who don’t. In an effort to connect with more students, I partner with teachers, AVID, and school counselors to host classes, workshops and Senior Seminar on Wednesdays.
What do you enjoy doing after school? How do you unwind? I am unapologetic when it comes to anything fine, applied, or performing arts. I have a lot of people in my life who are creatives, and it brings me great joy to support them in their creative spaces. For quite some time, I was an organizer for an art collective where we ran monthly events, and it was a collective of various art forms that I did voluntarily.If you could open your dream business, what would you sell or provide? I would like to provide a space for all people to heal, to feel grounded and supported, to live authentically and for them to find their places of joy.
What do you see more of in your students the longer you work? I genuinely believe in students, in all people, feeling empowered by self-knowledge and self-discovery. Some students in our current educational system and structure do well in school and feel good about their educational journey. Then there are some students where that is not their experience. I really enjoy supporting students in uncovering their own strengths and their intelligences. Especially, and most importantly, when perhaps their gifts, their strengths, are not always celebrated in a traditional, academic school environment.
When do you have difficulty connecting with students? The nature of my position and the role in our school is very unique, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to serve all of our students with their post-secondary journey. I am able to build really strong rapport with those who seek out or regularly utilize…the College & Career Resource Center. However, it can be difficult connecting with students who don’t. In an effort to connect with more students, I partner with teachers, AVID, and school counselors to host classes, workshops and Senior Seminar on Wednesdays.
What do you enjoy doing after school? How do you unwind? I am unapologetic when it comes to anything fine, applied, or performing arts. I have a lot of people in my life who are creatives, and it brings me great joy to support them in their creative spaces. For quite some time, I was an organizer for an art collective where we ran monthly events in the city of Chicago.
If you could open your dream business, what would you sell or provide? I would like to provide a space for all people to heal, to feel grounded and supported, to live authentically and for them to find their places of joy.
